Safety and Wellness

Word! Insulin

Insulin

If someone has diabetes, he or she has trouble with a hormone called insulin. Insulin, which is made in the pancreas, lowers the level of glucose (a type of sugar) in the blood. It does this by helping glucose enter the body's cells. Glucose is the main source of energy for the cells. And because you're made up of cells, you want those cells to get the fuel they need!

Your body gets glucose from the food you eat, and it travels through the bloodstream. But without insulin, glucose can't get into the cells. In diabetes, the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin or the body can't respond normally to the insulin that is made. This causes the glucose level in the blood to rise.

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Flu Vaccines Help Prevent the Flu 00:00:30

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Vaccine is the best way to prevent seasonal flu. Everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine each year, whether it’s as a shot or as a nasal spray. Your healthcare provider can help you choose the right form. Get the vaccine for your family as soon as you are able, and be sure to ask anyone who takes care of your child to get the...

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Seattle Children’s provides healthcare without regard to race, color, religion (creed), sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin (ancestry) or disability. Financial assistance for medically necessary services is based on family income and hospital resources and is provided to children under age 21 whose primary residence is in Washington, Alaska, Montana or Idaho.